All I have, all I need
by scarxtardis
Summary: Arya and Gendry leave for the Wall, as Arya strives to find her brothers. Along the way, Gendry is injured, exposing Arya to her priorities. She realises exactly how much she really needs Gendry. Arya/Gendry, rated T for later on. Set after series 2 ASOS. Reupload- storyline changed.
1. Chapter 1

**_Hi, everyone. So this is my first GoT fic- I had to start with a fic for my beautiful OTP for the show. It's to be continued, if I get enough reviews! It's set when Arya is around 15, and Gendry is about 20. I hope you like it. Set after/during ASOS, which is probably series 3 for the show. Hope you like it._**

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"So where exactly are we going? And how long will it take?"

Gendry was exhausted. He was also has extreme saddle-sore, sweaty, and ash and dirt clung to him no matter how much he tried to scrub it off with his hands. He huffed into the darkness of the forest, his breath creating a small cloud, and pushed his heavy dark hair out of his sleepy eyes. He yawned.

It was a cold, windless night, and the air was biting, raising goose-pimples on the back of Gendry's neck. The moon had just risen, a waning crescent, but you could still just see the thin, peach-coloured clouds on the horizon. The sky was clear, starless.

"I told you _before_, I have to get to the Wall before the moon turns, stupid." Arya, sitting astride her horse a few metres ahead, turned her head and pouted, then grinned that mischievous grin that Gendry knew all too well.

The pair had left for the Wall around a week ago, and still had around another fortnight's ride to get there. They had just reached the outskirts of Greywater Watch, a small county near The Twins, a place that could chill you to the bone after night fell.

"Is someone getting a little sleepy?" She chuckled, halting her horse. Gendry rolled his eyes, but didn't deny it. Arya sighed, pushing a hand through her knotted mass of hair. She rolled herself off the saddle, and gestured for Gendry to do the same.

"Come on, then, princess, you need your beauty sleep." She quipped as she knotted her horse to a nearby oak. Gendry harrumphed, wiping his callused hands on his supple leather jerkin, rough on rough.

"_You're_ the princess, princess. I don't get as much sleep as you do, you know that. And we've been on the run for ages- why do you have to suddenly head to the Wall? You know how dangerous it is there." Gendry retorted as he dismounted his stallion, and began to tie it to the same tree as Arya's.

"It's my brother. He's…" Arya's face softened. "- he's been there for a while." She shook her head, and sat against the large, hollowed-out tree across from the horse's. Gendry sat himself down next to her, leaning his head against the tough wood, his heavy eyelids drooping.

"Which brother?" He'd heard about all of Arya's brothers, Jon in particular- apparently he and Gendry had quite a bit in common. Gendry rolled his head to look at Arya, who was hunched in on herself, causing her skinny body to become absolutely minute. Her grubby pelts weren't much better than Gendry's, but they hung loosely off Arya's limbs, disguising her slight body.

"It's actually two of them. One of them, Jon, is in the Nights Watch- he's on the other side. Another one, Bran, he's… well, he's lost, but I know he's near the Wall somewhere." She shrugged, and pressed her arm against Gendry's. She was shivering.

"Ah. Well, the Nights Watch are most likely all dead, y'know, M'lady. And Bran was the cripple, right?" Gendry struggled to keep his eyes open. Arya elbowed him hard in the side, knocking the air out of him temporarily. He coughed exaggeratedly.

"What the hell was that for?" He hissed at her, clutching his side. Arya crossed her arms.

"You know what for." She whispered.

"Oh. Sincerest apologies, M'lady."

Gendry lapsed into silence, and Arya knew he must've been asleep. His gentle snoring was a comforting sound that she'd adapted to since she'd been friends with Gendry. She looked up amongst the tall, dark trees and thanked the gods that she wasn't alone out here. Soon enough, she drifted off into unconsciousness.

When Gendry woke, the sun hadn't come up. The moon wasn't at its apex, yet it was still luminous. He'd been asleep for six hours, maybe seven, he presumed, which was the most he'd slept in the past month. Arya was leaning heavily on his shoulder, her mousey hair mussed up, and he smiled fondly at her, gently sliding her sleeping figure off him. Standing up and stretching, he heard a horse whinny. He strolled over to the horses and stopped.

One was missing.

Gendry could barely tell which one was left behind in the moonlight, but by the silhouette, his large stallion was still tied to the tree, which meant either Arya's horse had broken free, or had been stolen by outlaws. _"Shit." _He whispered to himself, as he ran back over to Arya.

He leant down and shook her. "Arya." She rolled over. Gendry sighed, and shook her more vigorously. _"ARYA."_ He said, firmly. Arya stirred for a moment, and her head lifted, a dazed, lethargic look in her green-grey eyes. She rubbed her face, looking up at Gendry.

She groaned. "What is it? I'm trying to sleep." She massaged her forehead, yawning. Gendry took her by the arm and pulled her to her feet, where she steadied herself. "What is so important you had to wake me up while it's still dark?"

"Your horse," Gendry led her over to the tree where Gendry's lone horse stood. "It's gone." He stood back, awaiting Arya's reaction. She stood there for a moment, still half asleep, before it sunk in fully. She let out a yell of contempt.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?" She roared at Gendry, who raised his hands to protect himself as she threw herself at him. This was not the first time he'd faced the wrath of Arya Stark, no, but he still didn't know how to handle her rage.

"_I DON'T KNOW_, I woke up and wandered over to check up on them, and it… _she_ was gone!" Gendry dodged a pebble that whizzed past his head. She gave a cry of distress and stormed over to the tree where her horse had been attached to.

"The rope's still here. How could she have broken the rope?" Arya screwed up her face in bewilderment. She squinted at the end of the rope, and gasped. Gendry tentatively walked up to her, leaving a meter between them. She whirled to face him, and he jumped back.

"It's been cut with a _SWORD_." Arya threw the rope into the dirt in anguish, and sunk down next to it, groaning. Gendry picked it up and studied it, trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness. The sever on the end of the rope was too clean cut to have been gnawed by a horse's large teeth. It could only be a swords mark.

"You're right, it has. What type of people would pass through these woods… simply to steal a _horse_?" The answer was beyond him. "Why not steal one from a cosy looking inn or a bloody stable, for god's sake?"

Arya sat in silence. "That horse was my favourite horse. Stupid thieves." She grumbled. Gendry sat down next to her and put his hand lightly on her shoulder.

"Tell you what," He said, his blue eyes softening. Arya didn't look at him. "You can share my horse. He's strong, and to be honest, I've carried heavier loads than you, you little stick thing." He poked her belly, and she had to giggle. He really did remind her of Jon, sometimes, except he was so incredibly different to Jon in other ways.

Their heads snapped to the left simultaneously when they heard a twig snap. Gendry put a finger to his lips and poked his head out from behind the tree, and stuck it back behind it when he spotted four or five shadows.

"Is it outlaws?" Arya whispered so quietly it could've been a rustle of wind in the leaves. Gendry poked his head back out again, only slightly this time, and narrowed his eyes at the looming figures. From what he could see, it seemed to him like a gang- he saw a tall, lean figure holding some type of weapon, a smaller, more muscular figure clutching something to his chest, and the rest were all so close together they all melded into one black shape.

"I think so. I can't really make it out." He whispered back. Gendry began to stand up, but forgot completely that his horse was still above him. His head collided with the neck of his horse, causing the stallion to let out a screaming whinny. They swore under their breath.

"Oi, did ya 'ear that?" a gravelly voice asked, and Arya and Gendry tried to make themselves as small as possible, sucking in their stomachs and flattening themselves against the tree. Arya caught Gendry's eye, and looked down to her belt, where her sword, needle was joined. Gendry nodded as Arya clutched it in her right hand.

"Yeah, I heard it, I ain't deaf. Oh- look there, men." A softer voice answered, and it was obvious he's spotted the horse. Gendry held his breath as he heard approaching footsteps crunch on the leaves that covered the floor of the forest. A silhouette appeared from across the horse, which was now nervously stamping its hoof against some bracken. The shadow was less than two metres away from Arya and Gendry.

"It's a sturdy one, too, lads. It'd take us a good way, and of course, give us a hearty meal for once." The soft voice chuckled, and soon the whole gang began roaring with triumphant laughter. Arya stepped one step closer to Gendry, and a leaf crunched beneath her foot. She held her breath.

One of the men began whispering something, and the sound of metal weapons being brandished filled the silent air. Arya grasped needle close, and Gendry drew his heavy sword from his side, grabbing Arya as they ran out from behind the tree. The gang spotted them and yelled incoherent words to one another.

"Go, run. I'll catch up." Gendry pushed Arya, who looked torn. Gendry nodded, and she clutched his jerkin tightly for a moment, and then began to run. Three of the men surrounded Gendry, two armed with flimsy swords, one armed with an axe. He couldn't win. But he could try.

One of the men, the skinny one, advanced in on Gendry, a cruel, ugly grin plastered on his face. A snarl of laughter escaped his throat. He and Gendry raised their swords at the same time, and the man chuckled.

"Ready to die, boy?" He growled, thrusting his sword forwards, then stopped as a wet gurgle escaped his throat. Blood, black in the night, poured from his mouth, as he fell to the ground with a sickening thud. He was dead. Arya stood behind him, needle in her hand, her lip curled.

"No. But you are." Arya whispered. Gendry was angry with her for not running, but he could hardly complain now. He ran up to her and they stood back to back, as the men circled in on them. There was only four of them now- two each to fight.

Gendry swiped at the short man in front of him, cutting through his thin shirt with ease, blood oozing from the slash he'd left on his chest. The man hissed in pain, and feebly lunged forwards, drawing his sword through Gendry's jerkin. The attempt was so weak that it didn't even reach his skin, let alone draw blood, and as the man stepped forwards, Gendry plunged his sword through the man's heart. He fell to the ground, his front drenched in blood. The other man he was fighting approached him.

Arya had already killed another gang member, but another one, bigger than the last, grabbed Arya off guard and covered her mouth. He pushed her to the ground on her stomach, and as she tried to wriggle away, he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to her knees. She ground her teeth together to keep from crying out in pain.

"Oh, what's this? A little _lady?_ Well, little bitch, are you ready to become a woman?" He growled into her ear, and all of Arya's courage left her for a second. She then remembered who she was. _You're a Stark. A wolf. You can do this. _Arya tried desperately to break free of his iron grip, but he was already ripping off her over clothes, and she could feel his sweaty, slippery fingers touch her skin. She couldn't break free. Needle was out of her grasp. This was the first time in a long time she'd ever felt so vulnerable.

"GENDRY!" She cried. She couldn't escape, and she could only just see Gendry in the darkness of the woods.

Gendry heard Arya's cry and turned around to see on her back, a gigantic, balding man kneeling over her. He completely forgot about the quarrel he was in the middle of right now with the other man, he had to save her, save Arya. He turned and ran for her, and bowled the huge man off her. The monster roared, rolling Gendry onto his back, his blade drawn. As he brought it down, Gendry kneed him between the legs, and stabbed him in the gut.

Just as Gendry was rolling himself off the huge man, he felt a surge of agony shoot through his shoulder. He gave a yelp of pain, and looked down to see the man's blade covered in hot, wet, scarlet blood. Gendry wheezed and got unsteadily to his feet, and staggered over to Arya, who was kneeling on the ground, next to the corpse of the thin man with the revolting smirk.

"We did it. We actually won." Arya was in shock, and an amazed smile crossed her face. Her eyes were wide and shining, and the sun had just begun to rise. Her face was covered in dirt and dried blood, too. Gendry just had time to return the smile, when he fell to the ground, convulsing. Arya's eyes widened further.

"Gendry!" She crawled beside him and put his head in her lap. His blue eyes were closed tight in pain. Arya spotted his shoulder, grossly mutilated, a deep crimson gash. She bit her lip and tried to think of what to do.

"It's alright, Gendry, you'll be alright." She wasn't sure who she was reassuring, Gendry or herself. She tore a piece of cloth from one of the dead man's shirts and tied it around his shoulder like a bandage. He hissed.

"Sorry, sorry." Arya mumbled. As she stroked Gendry's rough cheek, she was unaware of the tears that had started to form in her eyes, and was shocked when she felt the wetness on her cheek. She touched it in wonder. Arya hadn't cried since… well, since her father had been beheaded by Joffrey's men… She then snapped out of it when she heard Gendry moan.

"Alright, come on, we need to get back to your horse. He's still here." She put her arm around his waist, helping him up. She grunted- he was pretty heavy, and Arya was very small. She let Gendry put his weight on her, though, and they limped back to the horse, where she had to gingerly help him mount. She got on after him, and let him lean on her. She dug her knee into the horse.

"I'm going to take care of you, okay? You're not going to die. Not on my watch. I'm taking you to get help- and I'm going to get you looked at. Because you are not going to die, you're not going to die, _you're not going to die_."

Once again, she wasn't sure who she was reassuring.


	2. Chapter 2

Arya's teeth wouldn't stop grinding together with anxiety. She'd been travelling for at least three hours on the back of Gendry's horse, with Gendry pressed against her back, groaning lightly in drowsy pain. By the looks of his now congealing wound, he'd gotten worse, but not so much that he'd lost consciousness. Yet, anyway.

The morning weather wasn't much to Arya's liking- wet and grey, yet strangely bright. It reminded her painfully of Jon Snow's eyes. Perhaps this was why she hated this weather so much. A mist of rain began showering them, the droplets speckling their heads. She heard Gendry stir behind her.

"Are you coping?" Arya bit her lip, as she often did when she was deep in thought or extremely concerned. She, right now, was the latter. Gendry raised his tired eyes to meet Arya's. They were shadowed heavily with grey, matching the dreary sky. His dark eyebrows furrowed.

"No. What kind of question is that? I was stabbed in my shoulder. Of course I'm not _coping_." Gendry griped, his voice rough. He let out another moan as the horse skipped over a small boulder, and was shoved into Arya's back. Arya rolled her eyes.

"I was just _asking_. No need to be rude." She dug her knees into the stallion so that it went into a brisk canter. They exited the forest they'd stayed in the last night, where the brawl had occurred. Gendry rested his head on the nape of Arya's neck, wincing in pain.

"Now _where_ are you planning on going?" He asked, through gritted teeth. Arya hesitated. Where was she going? She hadn't anticipated on going anywhere in particular, just somewhere that Gendry could heal safely, somewhere without a chance of getting attacked by angry outlaws or knights. She shrugged.

"I don't know. But I want to find someone to look at that shoulder of yours." Arya answered, eying the gash on Gendry's upper arm. She was really worried about it- it was his dominant blacksmith arm, the one he used on every type of metal he could find. If he lost it to infection, she'd never forgive herself.

"Oh. You don't… you don't have to do that. I thought you needed to get to the Wall to find your brothers or something."

"Yes, I do. I have to get to the Wall. But one thing I'm not doing is travelling there alone. Understand?" Arya ordered, but she knew Gendry would stick with his own side. He was stupidly, irritatingly stubborn like that. Gendry grumbled, but another wave of pain stopped him from complaining, and he pressed his head into Arya's back to keep from screaming.

They were just leaving the border of the Neck when night fell, and both Arya and Gendry were saddle-sore between their thighs. Arya was stiff and hungry, but otherwise fine- she was more concerned for Gendry's sake. He'd fallen silent a few hours back, the slight rise and fall of his chest against her back telling her he was still breathing. As Arya squinted in the dusky light, she could see a flicker of something- was it a fire?- and pushed her knees into her horse.

As they rode closer, she could see it was a town. A city, in fact. Cobblestone walls surrounded crumbling houses and towers, glowing dimly in the distance. Arya's heart thumped. "Gendry. Look." She whispered, her eyes wide. She was glad to see a reasonably friendly looking place. After Harrenhal or Acorn Hall, she'd be happy to be anywhere right now.

Gendry looked up, his eyes dazed and out of focus. "Mm." He sighed, and his head lolled back on her shoulder. Arya bit down on her lip hard. She hadn't noticed the thin sheen of sweat covering his pale skin. He hadn't looked like this a few hours earlier.

"I need to find help. You don't look so good."

"Mm. Thanks."

Arya rode them into the village, anxiously looking around for someone who could help, someone who would help. She had no idea where they were. Riverrun was a long way back, Acorn Hall even further, and the only thing Arya knew was that she was far south of Winterfell. Gendry was heavy on her back.

The village-city place wasn't crowded, as it was almost night-time, but the civilians who were out gave them a strange look. The village was clean- It had a stone pavement which wound around the streets, and the houses around her looked sturdy, the people in them healthy. She looked ahead of her, where a small castle sat. She spotted a man and a woman, husband and wife, most likely, carrying a basket of bread and water.

"Oi!" Arya yelled, before she realised that wasn't the most polite way to get someone's attention. Gendry snickered weakly. "Uh. Excuse me!" Arya climbed from the horse, tied it to a tree that grew from a small garden and rushed over to the pair, who were walking down the street across from them. The woman looked her up and down, taking in her filthy tunic and tangled hair, before flipping her fair hair and sniffing, while the man ignored her completely. They walked on.

"Your loss, snobs." Arya hissed under her breath, before turning around, only to bump straight into another woman.

"Sorry." Arya mumbled, not taking much notice. The woman she ran into chuckled, a kind chortle.

"Do not apologise, child, I am the one who cannot see."

Arya looked up at the woman, and squinted at her in the evening light. She was a haggard, fragile creature, with a thick silver braid down her back. Her eyes were glazed with a milky film, indicating she was blind. Arya smiled- she liked this woman already. A younger girl, around Gendry's age, was following behind her. She was struggling to carry a bucket of water and two oranges.

"Let me." Arya took the bucket from the girl, who smiled warmly at her.

"Thank you very much!" the girl replied. She was small and pretty in an odd way, only a little taller than Arya, with heavy dark hair that curled around her shoulders. Her face was red and jolly. Arya looked at the pair for a moment. _They seem nice enough_, she thought.

"Um, sorry to disturb you, but… could I please have some help? Well, my friend… he needs help, actually. He's got wounded in his shoulder- I mean, he's gotten wounded in his shoulder, and he's really sweaty and his wound won't stop bleeding, and we have nowhere to go." It all came pouring out of Arya's mouth. The women stared at her in astonishment, before the old woman nodded.

"Well, girl, are you just going to stand there? Go and get your friend. Cara, fetch some clean linen, please, and boil the water over a fire." The old woman took charge, and Arya raced back towards the horse, where Gendry was passed out on.

After leading the horse through the streets of the unknown town, following after the pair of women. Arya noticed that the old woman relied heavily on the younger one, walking with one arm on her at all times. It was already dark when they all finally stopped in front of a small, run-down cottage on the outskirts. They hoisted Gendry from the horse, and carried him inside.

The house was small, but cosy. The flooring was simple, woven mats and timber. _They're poor, _Arya thought. She'd take anything now, though. A fire blazed in the corner, and there were three beds on the far end of the house. They lay Gendry down on a threadbare mattress, and the old woman went to work, dabbing blindly at his wound.

Arya swallowed. "What are your names?" She asked, sitting on the other side of Gendry's bed. The younger girl smiled, all crooked teeth and red gums.

"I'm Cara. This is Vivienne." She sat next to Arya, eyes kind. "And you are…?"

Arya stopped. "Oh, I'm no one." She shrugged, avoiding Cara's questioning, kind eyes. Vivienne laughed hardly.

"Every person has a name, no matter how lost they are. Now tell us your name, child." She looked up at Arya, without seeing. Arya shuffled awkwardly.

"… I'm… I'm Arry." She answered gruffly. The ancient smirked.

"For a girl? What were your parents thinking?" She wound a clean piece of cloth around Gendry's weeping shoulder. He groaned in his sleep, and Arya couldn't help but bite her lip again. Cara cocked her head, taking in Gendry. Her eyebrows raised.

"He's handsome. Good arms. Those are blacksmith's arms. What's his name?" Her brown eyes were shiny. Arya laughed.

"Good arms, s'pose, but Handsome? He's a bullhead. His name is Gendry." She looked down at her friend. His chest was bare, slick with sweat and blood, and his bright blue eyes rolled back into his head. Vivienne was now sewing up the gash with thread and a pin, and obviously, Gendry wasn't enjoying it, even unconsciously. Arya wondered how she could do it while blind- she must know her wounds well, to be able to fix them without seeing. Cara leant in close to Gendry, examining his face.

"Hello, Gendry." She purred. Gendry groaned again, causing her to jump back.

_Let him be alright. Please. _Arya prayed silently.

_Valar morghulis,_ a voice in her head echoed back.

She pushed the thought out of her head for once.

After around an hour, two pails of water, three bandages and an orange, Vivienne was finally finished with Gendry. "I've done all I can. He just needs to rest now." She slowly got to her feet, groping blindly for Cara's helping hand. It wasn't there. She instead scrabbled around for a door handle.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Arya said, helping her find the door.

"It was nothing." Vivienne smiled a toothless smile, and pushed open the door to the other room. Cara had fallen asleep around ten minutes ago, so it was just Arya and Gendry now. Arya knelt beside Gendry's head.

"Gendry? You still alive?" She whispered. "Gendry, stop faking, you bull." He stirred slightly, before his eyes flickered open. His breathing was shallow. His dazed eyes focused on Arya.

"Arya?" He murmured, and Arya grinned at him. He managed a weak smile, and sighed heavily. "Where am I? Where are we?"

"I… I don't know. We got taken in by an old woman and her granddaughter. What town we're in, I have no idea." She replied gently. Gendry chuckled weakly.

"Of course you don't. You never have any idea." He mumbled. Arya gently shoved him, and he groaned. "Hey, watch it. I'm tender right now. It's time for you to treat me like a high-born, I'm the one who's dying." His eyes glinted.

Arya shoved him again, a bit harder this time. "Shut up, you're not dying. Don't say that. Ever." She huffed, and he weakly raised his hands up in surrender.

"Whatever. Sorry. Anyway, we need to find out where we are. No idea at all?" Gendry changed the subject from dying hastily. Arya shrugged, leaning one elbow on Gendry's mattress. The mattress was soaked in blood and sweat, but she knew Gendry's blood and sweat almost too well sometimes. It didn't bother her anymore.

"Well… I heard them whispering while they patched you up. Something about… Lord Dustin." Arya searched her mind for what that might mean. Gendry frowned.

"Barrowton, maybe?"

"Maybe. I'll ask when they wake up."

"You do that, but only after you wake up, too. You need sleep, you look exhausted." Gendry bit his lip as he tried to roll over, the pain getting to him. Arya sat up, shaking her head.

"Not tired."

"Liar."

"Bullhead."

Gendry laughed aloud, but stopped and grimaced in pain. Arya, without thinking, grabbed his hand. "Ah, no, don't laugh. It hurts just to look at you."

"It's alright. The pain's gone away." Gendry was grinning at her through the pain. It took Arya a little while to figure out why, until she noticed her hand was still clasping his as tight as Bolton's shackles. Arya rapidly pulled it away, flushing.

"That never happened. Mention it again, and I'll throw a crab-apple at you."

"And there it is." Gendry sighed.

"What? There what is? I mean… what's there? There's nothing there. What would be there?"

"I have no idea what you're saying, but I think you're trying to ask what I mean by "there it is." I mean, there IT is. You insulting me and covering it up yet again." Gendry's eyes flickered tiredly. Arya cocked her shaggy head, a quirk she'd picked up from her direwolf, Nymeria.

"I don't get it. Covering what up?" Arya asked, curious yet bewildered.

"I really don't get _YOU_ sometimes." Gendry huffed under his breath. "Don't worry about it. Now, sleep, m'lady, or I'll have to force you to." He closed his eyes. "You don't want that. Trust me."

"How am I supposed to sleep now? I'm curious. Come on. And don't jape with me to blow it over, I remember things, Gendry Waters, and I will remember this conversation. Don't you think I won't." Arya narrowed her grey eyes.

"Great. Now sleep. Do you want me to force you to? Arya Stark, do you REALLY want me to tell you to go to bed like I'm your fath- septa?" His eyes remained shut. Arya huffed.

"Yeah? How are you going to force me to? You can't even stand up." She crossed her arms, and leaned in close. Gendry's eyes flicked open, before he reached her good arm out, wound it around Arya's thin waist, and tickled her until she cried with laughter. He dragged her next to him on the mattress, and grinned at her.

"There. Bed. Sleep."

"You're the most irritating friend I've ever had, next to Hotpie. I'll sleep, but you have to as well. Alright?" She rested her head next to his on the straw-and-feather pillow. Arya's cheeks were pink, her grey eyes shining, and her glossy dark hair was similar to a birds nest.

A nice birds nest.

Gendry shuffled uncomfortably, his own cheeks reddening.

"I- alright. Let's sleep."

So they slept.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: Ah. This one was hard…! Had to go to massive editing measures, as Gendry does something quite out of character in this chapter… Hope you can forgive me. Tell me if I did okay in keeping his character right or not in this strange situation. I'm completely lost in what part of the timeline this is, so very lost. I'm guessing it's a kind of au… no, not AU, more of an alternate turn-off (AT?), in which they didn't go with Harwin or Sandor during ASOS, but instead went by themselves. Constructive criticism is more than welcome, please, I'm so anxious about this!

Morning came as slowly as a Sunday afternoon.

Gendry woke first, a haze clouding his vision. His shoulder thudded dully, painfully, and his head was light. He looked around him, bewildered, trying to remember where he was. They were in the small house of the women that took Arya and himself in to heal his shoulder. He focused his eyes, and they found Arya, sleeping peacefully next to him. He'd never seen her have such a sound sleep. She was usually- no, always- restless.

Her eyelids twitched now and again, her chest rising and falling gently. Seeing Arya so peaceful made Gendry feel the same. He wished the moment had gone longer, before the younger woman, Cara, came bustling in with two steaming wooden bowls of unfamiliar, brown, lumpy slop, her dark eyes twinkling.

"Good morrow! I made food to break your fast." Gendry wanted to tell her to be quieter, as Arya was sleeping restfully for the first time in a year, but she'd already woken up. Her hair was messier than it had been the night before, and her eyes were heavy with sleep.

"Where am I…? Oh. Right. You… You didn't have to do that." Arya mumbled. Gendry chuckled. She sat up, and flung her legs over the side of the mattress, squinting in the brightness of the morning sun that shone through the small, glassless window above them. Cara grinned.

"Barrowton, didn't you know?" Cara asked, somewhat patronising. "Anyway, did you sleep well?" she set down the two tepid bowls on the small wooden table across from them. Arya peered into the bowl. The gunge inside looked revolting, but smelt inviting. She frowned at Gendry's bowl. His had cinnamon and honey in it, and hers didn't. Arya decided not to say anything, and started picking sleepily at the food, which she guessed was porridge.

"Mm." Arya drowsily rubbed her eyes. "Very well, actually. Th- thank you for letting us stay here." Arya tried to remember her courtesies sometimes- she could always hear her septa's and sister's voice yelling at her, high and distraught. Cara nodded, and looked over at Gendry, who hadn't moved, eagerly awaiting a comment from him. He winced as he tried to sit up to retrieve the bowl, and gave up, lying back down. Arya noticed his blue eyes had little crinkles in the corner due to the pain. She bit her lip.

"I slept alright." Gendry answered, trying not to move. Cara smiled at him warmly.

"Let me." She picked up Gendry's bowl, and set it down next to the bed. "Don't you move, you need to rest." Arya raised her eyebrows curiously.

Gendry flushed scarlet. "I'm fine, honestly. I can… ow. On second thoughts, I do need to rest. Thank you." He smiled gently at the girl, who did a little curtsy. Arya breathed heavily through her nose. Gendry gave her an annoyed look as he spooned up some of his honeyed porridge.

"If you need anything, just call." Cara winked, which Arya was sure wasn't aimed for her at all, as she strolled out of the room, hoisting up her linen shift so it didn't brush against the ground. Gendry let out a whistling breath, and rolled back over so he was facing the window. His heavy dark hair was plastered to his forehead with a cold sweat. His fever had thankfully passed very quickly.

"You're pretty obvious, you know." Arya huffed, her voice somewhat rancorous. She didn't know why. Gendry gave her a queer look.

"Eh? What are you on about?"

Arya chuckled hardly. Gendry groaned, and turned to look at her, the bandage on his shoulder unravelling slightly. The smell of congealing blood was heavy in the room, sharp and metallic.

"Oh. Shut up. That was just being friendly to someone who took us in. You ought to be more grateful too, m'lady." Gendry massaged the bridge of his nose, trying to get the pounding in his head to let up. Arya rolled her eyes.

"You want to ring her bell, don't you? Like that girl at that brothel- The Peach?" She grinned audaciously, trying to blow it over. Gendry let out a wheezing laugh, but his eyes were darker than they were before.

"Don't be stupid, Arya. If I did, I would've by now. Besides, I couldn't if I wanted to, I'm practically crippled. And why do you even care? You're… you're just jealous." Gendry said, his face twisting into a grimace. Arya scoffed, and her stomach flipped. _Maybe you are,_ the voice in her head said.

"I… ugh. Now you're the one being stupid. Like you could even ring her bell." That was all she could come back with.

"I could if I wanted to! How would you know, anyway? You haven't even had anyone."

"Who would want to, if was with men like you?"

Gendry rolled back over, his bare back facing Arya. He was shaking his head slightly, but she couldn't see his face.

"_There it is again."_ Was all she heard him whisper. Arya scoffed, her vision blurring with angry tears.

"What is that even supposed to _mean_? You said that last night, what does it mean? _There it is?"_ Arya yelled, but Gendry didn't answer. He wouldn't for a while; she knew that much- he was a stubborn bastard. He kept his back turned to her. "Fine." Arya stormed out of the room, fuming. She slammed the door behind her.

"Ary-" Gendry began to call out, but stopped himself. He eyed the door, wondering if he should follow her, but when that girl was angry, her wrath was fiercer than the Direwolf of House Stark, and somewhat more ruthless than the cold Winters of Winterfell. He'd learnt that the hard way, when she'd lost her horse. Maybe was that was why he and Arya were reasonably close. His fury and hers bounced off of each other. Gendry decided against following, and rolled back over, grimacing in slight pain.

_As if she'd care if I had any other girl_, he thought. _As if she'd care one bit. _

"Stupid bullhead bastard boy." Arya muttered to herself, her grey eyes narrowing, as she strode out the door. She spotted Vivienne on the timber flooring in the next room, where she was sewing up an old, moth eaten dress. Arya was still in awe of how she could do it, without her sight. Arya couldn't even do it with her sight- her stiches were always crooked, as Septa Mordane told her multiple times. There was only one type of needlework Arya Stark could abide.

"You're troubled."

Vivienne's voice was matter-of-factly, not a question. Arya mumbled something under her breath.

"It's about him, isn't it? The boy. Gendry."

Arya didn't say anything. She didn't have to- her answer was written all over her face. The ancient woman smiled knowingly, the skin around her milky eyes crinkling slightly. She reminded Arya of Old Nan, the oldest woman in Winterfell, always telling wonderful stories to her and her siblings. The ones about gallant knights rescuing fair maidens were Sansa's favourite, but Arya preferred the ones about the people who could turn into wolves and other animals, or the knights fighting in tourneys. Those were Bran's favourite, too.

It hurt Arya to think of Winterfell and her family. She pushed those thoughts away- she wasn't Arya Stark anymore, not really.

Only she _was._

"Ah. What happened?" The old woman asked, her eyelids flickering. Arya snapped out of her reverie.

"I just said some stuff to him that was kind of… well, not really true, and then he says- _said_ some stuff that was stupid, too. He's always been a stupid bullhead. But it was just one little fight." Arya explained, suddenly interested in the dirt under her fingernails.

"I see. Well, Cara's rather smitten with your Gendry, did you know?" Vivienne wet her chapped lips, a small, toothless smile on her face. Arya looked up, her forehead creased. She was listening _now._

"He's not… _my _Gendry. Smitten? And what makes you think that?"

Vivienne grinned. "Very well, if you say so. Ah, well, she's made him some new clothes already. She cannot stop looking at him, and the talking... it's been one night! I keep telling her that she doesn't know him well enough, but she will not listen. Not to mention she's watching over him as if she were some Highgarden Hawk."

Arya played with a frayed thread on the rug. "Where is Cara now?" Arya asked. She wanted to talk to the older girl- she liked making friends, she always had, and Cara seemed interesting enough. She also wanted to find out what she found so interesting about Gendry. Arya didn't see it.

"She's with some lad, no doubt. She has always been a rowdy child, toying with some poor fellows mind with coy looks and sly smiles. And the men she brings home…" Vivienne gave a huff, "they vary from stewards to singers. She's a good girl, though, kind hearted. She deserves someone better."

"Mm." Arya was lost in thought. She still felt bad about getting at Gendry earlier that day- but it was partly his fault too. Wasn't it?

"Help me sew, will you, girl?" Vivienne asked.

"I'm not very good at sewing." Arya admitted. _That was always Sansa's talent… along with singing, dancing, and everything else in the seven kingdoms,_ Arya thought bitterly, yet somewhat fondly. Vivienne chuckled.

"No matter. It'll give time for us to talk."

The pair shared stories for a while, Arya telling how Gendry got hurt, and elaborating from that. Vivienne couldn't know who she really was. It made Arya feel bad, but it was better than lying to her face. Vivienne shared stories about her past, about how she was once betrothed to one of Lord Dustin's stewards, about her fostering Cara.

"I think I'll go say sorry to Gendry." Arya announced after about an hour. "Um, thank you for talking with me." Arya got to her feet, leaving Vivienne to her needle and thread.

The door to the room where Gendry had locked himself in was shut, so she gingerly pushed it open to see if he was still sulking. She hoped he wasn't, Arya hated sulky people. Maybe that was why she had hated Joffrey so much. Arya only sulked when she really needed to, which wasn't often. Warriors don't sulk, no more than they weep.

"Gendry?" Arya whispered, as she tiptoed into the room. She stopped dead.

Gendry was in the corner of the room, kissing a pretty, dark haired girl with her linen shift hoisted around her waist.

Cara.

She was giggling as he placed tender kisses on her neck, down her collar bones, on the tops of her breasts. His hands were buried in her mane of hair. Her hands were stroking the front of Gendry's bare, muscled chest, and down between Gendry's legs. That was when Cara noticed Arya standing there, her eyes wide, bewildered. She didn't quite comprehend what was going on.

"Gendry?" She asked again, confused. She couldn't quite believe that Gendry was even capable of kissing someone, let alone this. He was usually just a stubborn, emotionally stunted ass around Arya. Why was he doing this all of a sudden? _Why?_

"Oh, gods. Gendry, stop." Cara blushed bright red. Gendry looked behind him and pulled away quickly.

"Ar- Arry." He said in a surprised voice.

He looked almost ashamed with himself.

Arya's stomach flipped. The next second, it felt like her stomach was in her throat.

"I…" Arya stumbled for her words. "It's good to see you're better, Gendry." She croaked harshly, before closing the door. She didn't know what she'd just witnessed, but it made her heart jolt in her chest, and her stomach roil. She backed away from the door, into Vivienne.

"Child? Is ought amiss?" She asked, as Arya stormed past her.

"Everything's fine." Arya spat out through gritted teeth. Arya needed some air, the hot, humid air inside the shelter was oppressive and made Arya's eyes water. Or was it the dust? Arya didn't know. She just wanted to get as far away from that place as possible.

Arya rushed out the door, into the winding streets of Barrowton. It was the lower parts of town, not the poorest part, nor the wealthiest. Just the gently-born part of town, with double story brothels and markets, fools busking on the cobblestone road, bakers selling their bread. Arya's head was pounding, her hands shaking. As she pushed through the bustling mass of people, she heard a yell.

"Arya!"

It was Gendry. Naturally.

Arya ignored him- she didn't want to talk to him. Gendry ploughed through the crowd as if it were nothing. He put a hand on Arya's shoulder, grasping tightly.

"Leave me alone." She hissed. Gendry held tighter onto her leather jerkin, but Arya shook him off, a warning look in her eyes. He backed off.

"What's your problem?" Gendry asked, his blue eyes deep and solemn. Arya turned around to face him, keeping a meter in between them in case she wanted to hit him or throw something at him. She was a good foot shorter, but it didn't matter.

"I don't have a problem. I can do what I want, sometimes, without you saying if it's right or wrong, Gendry. You go back, keep on ringing that Cara's bell. I saw you were enjoying it." Arya's eyes flashed. She turned around briskly, and strode off, brown hair flying in the wind. A thickset man walking by them gave a chuckle, a deep, throaty growl of a laugh.

"You heard her, boy." He guffawed, and strolled off.

Gendry took no mind. He kept pursuing Arya.

"What do you care if I have a girl now and again? It's not your business. It's what I do, not you." Gendry's voice was gruff. _Does she actually care?_ Gendry thought. Now, he felt bad. This wasn't the type of thing he did. _You really are an ass, Gendry, _he told himself.

_It's not you, though. You don't do that. You've never been that type, _Arya thought. She didn't say that, though.

"I _don't_ care. I JUST want to be LEFT _ALONE!_" Arya yelled, slamming her palms into his chest. A few people turned to look at them. Gendry felt ashamed as some wenches gave him dirty looks. Even the whores from the brothel were narrowing their eyes. Once he looked back to Arya, she had already run off again. Gendry sighed, and headed back. There was no use chasing something that couldn't be caught.

Eventually, Arya headed back to the small hut. She'd hidden in a stuffy smithy half the day, wandering the streets the other half, picking at vegetable gardens- come nightfall, she wouldn't be able to find her way back home.

_I wonder if he's still ringing her bell,_ Arya thought.

As she approached the humble abode, she spied Gendry standing outside, shielding his face, which was flushed a deep crimson.

She stared, confused, when she saw Cara yelling at Gendry. She was angry. No- she was furious. Her eyes were bright with anger, but she looked embarrassed and ashamed as well. Obviously, Gendry had said something that he shouldn't have. She was throwing straw from the stables out the back at him- Vivienne was trying to calm her down.

"What's going on?" Arya said, running up to them. Passers-by where stopping to watch, enjoying this new form of entertainment. Cara continued her bellowing.

"FUCKING… _BASTARD_… I… HOPE… YOU… ROT… IN… BOLTON'S… _SHACKLES!_" Cara screeched at Gendry. At each pause, she threw another handful of manure and straw at Gendry's head. He winced as some manure slid down onto his tender shoulder.

"I'm sorry! I know, I deserve it." Gendry feebly batted the muck away, failing miserably. It was in his hair, on his face. Vivienne grimaced, leading Arya inside. Arya's grey eyes were wide.

"What did he do?" Arya asked, biting back a laugh. _Thank the seven,_ she thought.

"I do not know, but it must have been quite awful. I'm sorry to say, I think you two must leave. Otherwise, Cara will kill that boy." Vivienne told Arya. Arya's heart sank.

"But… we've only been here two days!" Arya's voice started to rise. "We'll be good, promise."

Vivienne clicked her tongue, reminding Arya of an old friend of hers, a friend who she would prefer not think about. "I'm sorry, child, but keeping you longer will lower our food rations, and gods know we have little enough as it is." Vivienne shook her head, her filmy eyes sorrowful.

"But… we have nowhere to go!" Arya pleaded, desperate.

"I'm sorry, child. I've filled a wicker basket with some bread, apples and a flagon of water for the trip. It's no Dornish feast, but I'm sure you will manage, as I am sure you will find somewhere to go." The crone kissed Arya gently on the forehead, her leathery lips dry and groping. She handed Arya the basket, and sent her outside to retrieve Gendry.

"Thank you." Arya whispered. She didn't bother saying goodbye to Cara. She wondered if Gendry would.

It was evening now, the sun setting, a deep orange haze over the horizon. The dark sky was visible in the distance, slowly advancing. Arya walked around the house. Gendry was out the back, washing manure, hay and dry blood from himself in a horse's water trough. Arya thought it was odd, considering that Cara and Vivienne had no horses. Gendry's chest was bare, as it had been when she'd walked in on him and Cara. It gave Arya a strange feeling in her stomach.

"We have to go, Gendry." She whispered sullenly. Gendry looked almost pleased. His wound, which was only last night oozing blood and pus, was clean and pink, albeit deep. He was cleaning the cloth tied around it, and nodded.

"Alright. Fair enough. Didn't want to stay anyway." He sighed. Arya, who was still annoyed with him, crossed her arms and turned away. He hauled himself up out of the trough, dripping wet. He walked up to her, barefoot, clenching his tough blacksmith's fists. He looked at his feet.

"Arya, I'm… I'm sorry 'bout earlier. I didn't mean… to get distracted. I didn't mean for you to get angry, I just wanted… to try something new, is all. I… I've never really had anyone before." He said, shaking his thick black mop of hair out of his blue eyes. Arya was surprised he'd share something so personal with her. Instead, she shrugged, dismissing it. What _had_ she been angry at, anyway? He was only human, a male human. She guessed she just didn't want Gendry to be distracted.

_That's not the reason_, her mind chided her.

Gendry's eyes were ashamed, she noticed.

"I guess… you're forgiven, for whatever stupid reason I was angry."

Gendry sighed in relief. Arya continued.

"I just didn't want you to get too distracted that you forgot about getting to the wall. And what did you do to her, anyway? Cara? Did you… do something she didn't…?" She asked awkwardly, as they headed around to the front of the quarters. Gendry flushed deeply, looking away.

"I… I accidentally said something."

"_Really?_ Couldn't have guessed _that_. What did you say, exactly?" Arya said, exasperated.

Gendry shuffled uneasily. "Why do you care?"

"I don't. Why do you? Tell me."

"Fine. I… broke a lace from her bodice." He replied, unconvincing. Arya raised her eyebrows, as they got to their now single horse. Arya missed her horse- Gendry's mare might not be strong enough to take both of them so far.

"Liar."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Shut up. M'lady."

"Fine. Tell me some other time. I'll get it out of you somehow."

As the ludicrous pantomime went on, the horse nudged Arya's shoulder. She grinned, and buried her hand in its shaggy mane. Gendry watched, a placid smile on his face, their stupid fight already forgotten… for now. They looked down at the cobblestone road beneath them, and frowned. They lead the horse around the back, facing the forest that they'd emerged from, as a cloud of mist hovered eerily about it.

"Maybe we should go further North, this time. We're too far West. Bran and Jon will be further North. Or… Riverrun… maybe." Arya suggested.

"Yeah. Maybe. We'd better get going, eh?" said Gendry, cringing in pain slightly as he mounted the mare. Arya nodded, sliding onto the horse as smooth as summer silk. Gendry was in awe of this slight action, how lithe and nimble it was. She'd been doing it her whole life.

He was strangely aware of her warm body against his as she tucked herself between the rise of the horse's rump and Gendry's back. He could smell her, too, her cool, grassy scent he knew so well. His breath quickened. She frowned.

"Why aren't you going?" Arya asked.

"Oh. Right. Got distracted again. Sorry. My wound, kind of makes me hazy." He drove his knees into the horse, and the cantered off, back into the depths of the forest.


	4. Chapter 4

_**What's this? This story has been updated? No way! Sorry it's been so long, guys, but hopefully this will serve. Enjoy!**_

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Another day's ride through the woods brought them to a clearing. It was dark, with only a waxing crescent of a moon to provide a dim light. Gendry hadn't talked the whole ride, only moaning slightly as his arm was still in the healing process. Arya hadn't said anything, either, only sighed heavily through her nose.

What could they talk about, anyway?

"This looks like a good place to stop." Gendry announced, halting the horse. They'd stopped next to a clear rivulet, with running water and strange red fish. _Trout, probably,_ Arya thought. The forest ground was heavily covered with thick, lush grass, and fallen leaves scattered it. If anything, it was idyllic. As Gendry clumsily dismounted the horse, Arya noticed his eyes had a wan sheen to them, and his face looked almost _sad_.

Not that she cared, of course. Why would she?

"Mm," She replied, lithely springing from the horse's back, landing on the balls of her feet. Gendry gave a rumbling laugh, as he tied the horse to a nearby oak.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. Just you."

Arya's eyes flashed. "Am I really that absurd, Gendry?" She hissed at him. He rolled his eyes.

"Someone needs to sleep," He mumbled quietly. Not quietly enough, apparently. Arya pulled off an acorn from a low-hanging branch and pelted it at his stupid bull head. It bounced off with a hollow sound. He rubbed the spot where she'd hit him, his jaw clenched.

"Arya, we're going to have to be kind to one another if we're going to get anywhere fast," he sighed. "You're quite irritable today. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said. _Just you._

"Liar."

"You're the liar!"

Gendry laughed. "What have I lied about?"

"Well, you said you didn't want to ring any girl's bell, and then you went and did with that Cara." She tried to keep her tone light, but it came out too rough, too…

_Jealous?_

Arya sat herself down on the grass, propping herself up on a tree next to the river, and began to undo her jerkin laces in the dark. She was grateful for the darkness- though, she still felt too exposed. She urged Gendry to turn around.

"You're so modest, M'Lady," Gendry told her, turning his back. "It's as if we haven't seen each other bare before." He chuckled.

Gendry lay down on the grass next to her with a pained grunt. The riverbank was low enough for him to trail his hand through the water, the moonlight reflecting onto his face.

After a moment of silence, Gendry began to talk about the dreaded subject they'd been trying to avoid. "So. It's about Cara, is it?" He scoffed. "I knew it," He rolled over onto his side to look at her. "You're jealous."

Arya sniffed, shedding her jerkin- the supple shift beneath was a lot more comfortable without the studded leather. "As if," she answered, but her voice was shaking. "You wish. You can have your fun with anyone, I don't care."

He studied her face, her grey eyes revealing nothing. When he tried to catch them, she avoided his eyes. He propped himself up on an elbow, resting his head on his hand. He winced slightly as his shoulder tensed. "Then what's wrong with you?"

Arya pulled at a tuft of grass, clenching her teeth. _Why can't he just leave me alone_? "I told you. Nothing."

"Arya." Gendry sat up, crossing his legs and looking her in the eyes. "Didn't your septa ever tell you not to lie?" he jested, trying to get a smile to form on her stiff Stark features.

When Arya finally caught his gaze, there was nothing but ice in her stare. "My septa's dead. Nothing she said matters now, does it?" she hissed.

Gendry's eyebrows raised. "You think that after someone dies, nothing they've ever said matters?"

Arya shrugged. "When they're gone, they're gone."

"What about… what about your father? Your mother?"

Arya went silent.

Gendry realised he shouldn't have said that. "That wasn't for me to say. I'm sorry."

Arya closed her eyes and exhaled heavily. "Don't be," she whispered, "I needed that." She decided to drop the topic. It was too morbid right now, and she didn't want to think about her family… her parents.

Instead, she brought something else up. "Gendry?" her eyes flicked open again.

Gendry was lying down again, hands in the water. "What?"

Arya bit her lip to stop herself from smiling. "What _was_ it you said to Cara to make her that angry?"

Gendry flushed a deep crimson. Arya couldn't see him, but she knew he was- he was squirming like a rat caught in a cat's claws. "I told you."

"You did not! What did you say?"

It was Gendry's turn to avoid eye contact. He ran a hand through his heavy black hair, groaning. "Leave it, Arya. Please. I'm still sore."

Arya huffed. "Fine." _Now I'll be wondering for the rest of my life,_ she thought wryly. _It must be embarrassing._

Gendry nodded gratefully, rubbing his shoulder. His jerkin was caked in dried blood and sweat. He cupped his hand and scooped some water from the stream and poured it over his shoulder. The water beaded on his bare skin, leaving goose pimples.

He looked from the water to Arya, considering something. Arya watched him, curious. "What…?"

She had no time to react before Gendry scooped up more water and splashed it full into Arya's face.

"Sorry," Gendry grinned at the look of utter shock on her face.

Arya gasped from the shock of cold water and looked up through her matted dark fringe, now drenched and bedraggled. "You…!" Arya shook her head like a dog, showering him with droplets. Gendry hooted with laughter, grabbing Arya by the arm and splashing her again.

"I can't believe you!" Arya yelled, and pushed him hard in the chest, shoving him back into the water. With a shout and a splash, he was up to his chest in water… but he hadn't let go of her arm. Arya realised too late, and fell in after him.

The water was icy in the night, and Arya's feet were already numb. Water went up her nose, in her eyes, down her throat. When she surfaced and found her feet, coughing, the smooth stones under the water slipping around beneath her, she saw Gendry laughing. "Your plan didn't go too well, did it, Lady Stark?"

_Oh, you're done, Bastard boy_. Arya launched herself at him through the water, and kicked him in the stomach. Gendry only guffawed and grabbed her from beneath her shoulders, throwing her deeper into the water. Arya found herself laughing into the moonlit darkness, and grabbed for Gendry's wrists.

She wrestled him into the deeper part of the calm river, giggling as if she were a young girl again. She felt like she was a young girl again, shrieking as Gendry tickled her as her brother's Jon and Robb had once done when she was little. She splashed Gendry full in the face like she had done with Sansa when she was little, too.

But it was when Gendry grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close she realised she wasn't a young girl anymore.

"What are you doing?" she asked, frowning.

Gendry's blue eyes searched her face, his thick dark eyelashes fringed with water. "You're freezing," he chuckled, his warm hands on her hips. Arya's shift had become uncomfortably transparent in the water, and she could feel his chest against hers through the thin material, his breathing heaving and rough.

Arya's tongue became thick and heavy. "Well, you started splashing me first, it's your fault I'm cold."

She could see Gendry smile in the dim moonlight reflected from the water. He lifted a calloused hand and placed a sodden strand of hair behind her ear.

"Arya, were you… were you covering it up?"

Arya's stomach tightened. "What do you mean? Covering what up?" She didn't know what to do- she'd never been in a situation such as this one. She wanted to pull away, run and hide, but part of her also wanted to stay, stay for more…

"At Barrowton, when I was hurt, you grabbed my hand, and you covered it up like nothing happened. But I remember. Every little thing you say and do, you always try to cover it up. And I always remember."

Arya hesitated. "I don't… I don't know what you mean by covering up."

Gendry placed a hand under Arya's chin. "You're so…"he was shaking his head.

"So…?" Arya urged, bewildered.

"So… _Arya."_ Gendry ran a hand down to the small of her back and rubbed the smooth skin there. Arya took a shaky breath and inhaled his smell, blood and ash and sweat and metal. So _Gendry._ She could feel his hot breath on her neck, and was aware of his muscled arms wrapped so tenderly around her and how close his lips were to her own.

She was savouring the sensation of his heart beating in time with hers, and the way his hand had crept up underneath her sodden shift to run his rough blacksmith fingers over the soft skin of her stomach …

But she couldn't do this. Not here. Not _now._

"I… I can't."

Arya pulled away, wading back towards the bank. "I can't. Not after… with Cara…" she felt tears pricking behind her eyes. She felt like some weepy babe. _Don't cry,_ she scolded herself. _You're a wolf, and wolves don't cry, especially not over bulls._

Gendry waded quickly after her, but Arya was already out of the water. "Arya!" he yelled after her. He'd been doing that a lot lately. "Arya, I'm sorry!" he leapt onto the bank, hot in pursuit, and grabbed her by the arm, turning her towards him.

Arya glared at him. "Don't," she commanded. "Don't touch me. Please."

Gendry took his hand away, but stepped towards her. "I'm sorry, I didn't think…"

Arya stepped away. "No, you didn't. You were ringing Cara's bell yesterday, you wanted her, why do you suddenly act as if you want me? It's like some mummers farce with you!"

Gendry was shaking his head in desperation. "No, I didn't want her! I never did!" Gendry's voice was slowly becoming louder, more frustrated. "Gods be true, you don't know _anything,_ Arya!"

Arya's temper rose. "Don't I?" She boomed, "So you were just fucking Cara for the fun of it, were you?" she was shaking both from the cold night's air and with her anger. Gods, she was furious. But why?

Gendry faltered. "Yes," he whispered, "yes, I was just fucking her for the fun of it, Arya. Do you want to know what I said to her, to make her so mad?"

_Yes, of course I do._ "No, I don't care what you said, Gendry."

"Oh, you will, trust me."

Arya cross her arms over her chest, her face twisted into a sneer. "What was it, then? What was it you said that I would care about so much?"

_Gendry laughed sadly, knuckling his eyes. "I said…" he looked up at the sky, biting his lip. "I said your name, alright? I said your name, Arya Stark."_

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_**I know. It was predictable. But I liked it at the time. Feel free to drop a review!**_


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